Prevalence and risk factors of iron-deficiency anaemia among pregnant women in rural districts of Menoufia governorate, Egypt

Abstract

This cross-sectional community-based study with analytic component was conducted among Egyptian pregnant women in rural districts during January to December 2013. A total of 2470 pregnant women were enrolled for laboratory tests for iron- deficiency anaemia (IDA). The prevalence of IDA was 51.3% (1267 of 2470); IDA affects about one in every two pregnant women in rural districts in Egypt. Women who are older than 30 years (Odds ratio [OR], 0.73) had more than three children (OR, 0.73), with body mass index less than 20 (OR, 1.57), shorter birth spacing less than 2 years (OR, 0.68), lack of antenatal care visits (OR, 1.25), low intake of foods of animal origin (OR, 1.57), vegetables and fruits (OR, 1.29) and having intestinal parasites (OR, 0.74) were positively associated with anaemia [at confidence interval 95%]. In addition to nutritional deficiency, multiparity and increasing maternal age are the main causes of IDA.

Keywords::

• Community-based studies
• Cross-sectional studies
• Egypt
• iron-deficiency anaemia
• pregnant women

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians of the respective rural regions for their logistic support.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.